Shipping crate



Aug. 16, 1927.

H. A. CLARK..

sHIrPING cam:

Filed Aug. 25. 192s .n rlll... o o

Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

lihllll@ STATES 1,639,555 rricn.

SHIPPING CRATE.

Application filed August 25, 1926, Serial No. 131,526, and Canada .Tune16, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in shipping crates tp-pertainingparticularly to a device of this character designed for carrying livelobsters and wherein each is placed in an individual compartment.

An object is to provide a shipping crate as described in which thecompartments are T-shaped to freely yet economically receive a lobster,divider by screens to allow of the circulation of water and yet lreepthe lobsters separated and liner with seaweed or the like to resemble asnearly as possible the natural surrounding in the ocean bed.

A. further object is to providel a shipping crate for live lobsterscomposed of a number of removable trays or layers of compartments thatare T-shaped and so arranged that the tails or stems of inverted rowsseat the confronting interstices.

' A still further object is to provide device of the character describedwherein the number of parts are few, the construction simple and being`capable of manufacture at a reasonable cost is thus renderedcommercially desirable.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects that will becomeapparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in theconstruction, combinati-on and arrangement of parts as shall behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

ln the drawings, forming a part of this disclosure: Fig'. l is a plan ofthe crate with part of the cover broken away to show the interiorarrangement and 2 is an end elevation the wall being similarly removedto disclose the contents.

In carrying out my invention, with a view to delivering' a maximumpercentage of live lobsters in perfect condition at their destination, lhave provided this crate of economical construction and arrangementcomprising only a perforated outer container of very ordinary design andtiers of trays preferably of wire mesh subdivided into T- shapedcompartments by like material. The subdivided trays comprise rows ofparallel T-shaped cubicles, alternately inverted, so that the stems ofconfronting rows mesh with registering interstices Qccuring between thestems, thus providing individual compartments of a very desirable shapeand so formed that waste room is eliminated. By lining' these withseaweed and like products of the sea bottom, accommodation .closelyresembling his favorite haunts and indigenous quarters is provided thelobster which results 'n his delivery in the best possible condition. Y

Referring particularly to the drawings wherein like characters designatelike parts throughout the several views, the box or casing designated a.This comprises a contai ier of wood or galvanized sheet metal andincludes vperforations o in sides, ends, top and ,bottom and also ahinged top c fastened when in closed position by the hasps d.

Trays c of wire meshv or other suitable material are disposed in tiers,within this container', and are subdivided-into T-shaped compartments f.These are arranged parallel in inverted rows so that ythe confrontingstems seat in the registering interstices formed thereby in the oppositerow. rlhe presentembodiment illustrates two such pairs of adjoining rowsand four trays thereof.

In shipping live lobsters these compartments will preferably be linedwith seaweed and the like and when of reasonable dimensions will befound to be most desirable receptacles for such work due to their eX-cellent configuration that prevents the lob-` ster movi-ng around andgetting tangled up with himself ori-his fellows.

In use, the trays of cubicles will be liner and with the lowermost onereposing in the container the lobsters are packe-df therein,r one ineach compartment with its head and spreading claws in the cross head endand his tail extending down the stem. Then the bottom tray is filled,the second tray is placed thereon in the crate thus closing anycommunication between compartments eX- cept for-the water as will behereinafter described that circulates through the screen. When thesecond' tray is filled the third is applied and so on. The closing ofthe hinged top of the crate acts to isolate the cubicles in the top trayas did the superposing tray for those thereunder.

If it is desired to keep the lobsters in water during their trip thecrates when closed and locked are placed' in well bottom boats wherethey are submerged in sea brine and thus transported, the sea waterfinding access to the wire mesh apartments through the perforation inthe crates.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be manifest that a shipping crate is provided whichwill fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device but as manychanges could be made in the above description and many apparentlywidely dierent embodiments of my invention constructed within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the spirit or scopethereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the saidaccompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limited sense.

llaving,v thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is,-

l. A shipping crate for live lobsters comprising a casing` and a traysubdivided into parallel T-shaped compartments matching` so as to employall the space in the tray with the exception of two half compartmentspaces at either end of the tray.

2. A shipping crate for live lobsters comprising a casing and tiers ofremovable trays that are subdivided into reversed parallel rows ofT-shaped compartments matching so as to employ all the space in the traywith the exception of two half compartment spaces at either end of thetray.

3. A shipping crate for live lobsters comprising a ventilated casingwith a removable cover and a plurality of trays subdivided intointerspaced parallel T-shaped compartments matching so as to employ allthe space in the tray with the exception of two half compartment spacesat either end of the tray.

Zl. A shipping crate for live lobsters comprising' an outer ventilatedcasing and subdivided wire screen trays subdivided into interspersedrows of parallel l'-shaped compartments matching' so as to employ allthe space in the tray with the exception of two half compartment spacesat either end of the tray.

5. A shipping crate for live lobsters comprising an outer ventilatedcasing, a removable closure therefor and tiers of wire screen trayssubdivided into parallel rows of interspaced T-shaped open toppedcompartments matching so as to employ all the space in the tray with theexception of two half compartment spaces at each end of the tray.

6. A shipping` crate for live lobsters comprising an outer ventilatedcasing, a hinged closure therefor, and tiers of trays each subdividedinto parallel rows of T-shaped compartments matching so as to employ allthe space in the tray with the exception of two half compartment spacesat either end of the tray, the several compartments of each tray havingopen tops which are closed by the bottom of the superposed tray whilethe compartments of the top tray are isolated by the hinged closure whensame is in closed position.

7. ln a shipping crate for live lobsters, tray comprising a pair ofinverted rows of interspaced parallel compartments of uniform size andshape of corresponding` irregular outline and matching` so as to employall the space in the tray with the exception of two half compartmentspaces at each end of the tray.

S. En a shipping crate for live lobsters, a tray comprising a pair ofalternately inverted rows of interspaced T-shaped compartments, ineither half thereof and matching` so as to employ all the space in thetray with the exception of two half compartment spaces at either end ofthe tray.

9. ln a shipping crate for live lobsters, a plurality of trays eachcomprising two pairs of parallel rows of T-shaped compartments whoseinturned stems fill the alternate interstices formed between the stemsof the adjoining` row of Ts by the contactingr of the cross headsthereof.

10. A shipping crate for live lobsters, comprising an outer ventilatedcasing' and tiers of wire mesh trays subdivided into opposed parallelrows of lshaped lobsterreceiving` compartments matching so as to employall the spaces in the tray with the exception of two half compartmentspaces at either end of the tray and lined with seaweed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiilx my signature.

HENRY ALLAN CLARK.

